Partners in Crime

Truce

TW: Toxic Relationship Language

After they got back to the BAU, everyone dispersed, as they were going to be meeting at the bar. Emily got in Alex's car, Garcia was driving Morgan, and JJ convinced Spencer to come with her. Hotch was driving himself there, and Rossi couldn't make it.

As Alex drove, her phone started ringing in the cupholder. She flashed her eyes at the source of the noise and then quickly back to the road.

"Who's calling?" Alex asked Emily.

Emily picked up the phone and her eyes widened at the contact name that appeared.

"...Ryan."

That name gnawed at her ear like an insistent jackhammer as she stared on at the road with a fixed expression. Emily knew that face. Ryan was Alex's "high school sweetheart" to put it lightly, though their relationship was far from 'sweet.'

"...Do I answer?" She asked, cautiously. Alex was quiet for a moment before she answered.

"...no. I'll deal with it later."

Emily pressed her lips together and placed her phone gently back in the cup holder. She waited silently until Alex spoke.

"He's coming here," Alex said plainly.

"To Virginia?"

"Mhm," Alex nodded as she turned into the parking lot.

"To like, live with you?" Emily asked.

"He didn't like the long distance. He wants to be able to 'know what I'm doing,'" Alex said, using air quotes.

"Alex..." Emily started.

"I know, but he's already made up his mind, there's nothing I can do."

Except Emily knew there was something that she could do. But she knew better than to bring up that option. Ryan has always been fanning Alex's flame ever since Emily could remember. In her opinion, he's a low life nobody who has nothing better to do except manipulate her best friend. He moved to New York when she was there for college at Columbia, and he moved to Florida with her when she first got her job at the field office. All while he's just been hopping from job to job for the past 7 years. Emily couldn't stand him... but her and Alex have had this talk over a hundred times. Whenever Ryan is around, controlling everything Alex does, she's just not the same. This year has been great for her, with Ryan only flying out to visit like once every couple months, and now he's coming to fuck everything up.

Alex wasn't an idiot. She knows that Ryan isn't good for her. But she's so comfortable, and she doesn't even know how she would leave, if she ever decided to. As self-aware as Alex is, she feels trapped in her relationship. Ryan's been apart of her life for so long that she doesn't even know how to exist without him.

Alex pulled into a parking spot in front of the bar, and grabbed her phone, letting out a sigh. Emily knew that was her queue to go inside.

"Don't take too long, or I'll come drag you out of this car," Emily chuckled while leaning on the car door, before shutting it and joining the rest of her friends inside.

Alex unlocked her phone and found 3 missed calls and 8 messages all from Ryan. She took a deep breath while dialing his number back. He answered with a groggy voice.

Ryan: Hello?

Alex: Hey, sorry babe I was driving-

Ryan: I called you 3 fucking times!